The Constitution And Handguns

February 18, 1986|The Morning Call

To the Editor:

The issue of handgun control has been a much-discussed and debated issue of late. The proponents of handgun control feel that by limiting (or banning) the sale of handguns, the number of violent crimes will be decreased. On the other hand, there are many people and organizations who feel that owning guns and rifles is a right that must not be infringed and claim that they are "protected" by the Second Amendment to the Constitution.

I feel that many people and organizations (especially the National Rifle Association) have been misleading a lot of people with the defense of "but the Second Amendment says . . . ." This misleading may or may not be intentional, but the Second Amendment does not permit ordinary citizens to own handguns. What does it say? The Second Amendment says "A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed." (note that this is one complete sentence, there is no period after state). Our founding fathers have instructed the state militia (which is our present national guard) to keep and bear arms in the defense of the state.

I am not a supporter of handgun control, not opposed to regulated hunting; but the N.R.A. and other groups, people, etc., must take the complete content of the Constitution instead of shaping and interperting the Second Amendment to say what they would like it to say.